September: Fruits and Veggies-More Matters Month

By Sue Kangas, PA

September is the beginning of autumn. Theres’ a national initiative that has named September as the Fruits and Veggies- More Matters Month. As our seasons shift, and harvests come in, September is the perfect time to embrace nature’s bounty and commit to nourishing our bodies with colorful, fresh, nutrient-rich produce.

Why should we eat more fruit and vegetables?  Fruits and vegetables are packed with all the vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants that help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Fruits and vegetables also support our immune system, improve our digestion and contribute to overall vitality. Eating more fruit and vegetables and getting plenty of physical exercise daily helps us to also manage our weight, reduce fatigue, inflammation, and pain.  Despite their benefits, many Americans fall short of getting the recommended daily intake.  The American Heart Association recommends eating 2 cups of fruit a day and 2.5 cups a day of vegetables.

This More Matters Month initiative encourages us to make small, sustainable changes. Here’s some tips to add more vegetables and fruits to your day.  Try a new vegetable weekly. Go online to look up recipes to make with the new vegetable.  Keep a bowl of fruit available for snacking, cut up your favorite vegetables and fruits to eat for snacking and swap them for chips, pretzels, candy etc., add spinach to smoothies.  It’s not about perfection; it’s about progress.  Whether fresh, frozen or dried, every form of produce counts.

Many people take supplements in place of eating their vitamins and minerals.  Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables daily is the healthiest way to get the recommended vitamins and minerals without taking supplements, they include vitamins A, E, C, folate, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron. The one vitamin that may need to be supplemented is Vitamin D.  The skin naturally produces vitamin D when we’re exposed to the ultraviolet B rays from the sun, but due to using sunscreens or just not getting out to absorb the sun’s rays causes deficiency.  If people are following a strict vegan diet, they need to supplement vitamin b-12 because it’s primarily found in meat products.

We need to keep in mind that the supplement industry is a billion-dollar industry, and our government doesn’t regulate the supplement industry.  I like to encourage people to get their nutrition from eating healthy foods not taking pills.